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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841117">Changing Hearts &amp; Changing Tides</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sebastina_Michaelis/pseuds/Sebastina_Michaelis'>Sebastina_Michaelis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, GabeNath Reverse Bang, GabeNath Reverse Bang 2020, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:01:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sebastina_Michaelis/pseuds/Sebastina_Michaelis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A father son bonding trip quickly turned into a 'family' vacation as Nathalie finds herself a welcomed tagalong. Her idea was the maintain the peace between Adrien and Gabriel, but she soon finds herself out of her element.  With tensions running high, and emotions as turbulent as the sea, will the Agreste Clan be able to find peace with themselves and take strides towards the future, or will they be swept out to sea?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>GabeNath Reverse Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathalie's POV</p><p> </p><p>When the cabin finally comes into view, the tense atmosphere of the car seems to lessen. Adrien visibly perks up from the back seat as Gabriel eases his foot off the gas to turn into the driveway, the gravel crunching beneath the car’s tires. You take a few deep breaths, trying to compose yourself for the task at hand. You hadn't expected the trip up to go smoothly, but the three of you had barely crossed out of city limits before Adrien and Gabriel decided to have a go at one another. Then they started to repeat the process when it came time for lunch, and again when you were getting the keys to the cabin, this time because Adrien had suggested that we should let him drive. Truthfully, mediating the two of them was more stressful than work. You prayed that this wasn't an indicator of how the rest of the trip was going to go; you don't think you can handle an entire week of that.</p><p>A lot of the driveway had been washed away from the nearly constant rain, and at a glance, the house seemed equally weathered, with the porch being a little lopsided and paint peeling off the wooden shingles. The roof seemed to be the only thing in working order, so at least you won't have to worry about leaks.</p><p>Adrien undoes his seat belt as the car rolls to a stop before stepping out into the damp air. He flashes you a sheepish smile after giving the house a once over, “It sure looked a lot nicer online, huh?”</p><p>Gabriel scoffs and pulls the keys out of the ignition, “I'm sure you two will live.” </p><p>You fish the keys to the cabin out of the glove box and hand them to Adrien, “Here, why don't you do the honors?”</p><p>Adrien happily takes the keys as he drags his duffle out of the back seat. The car door closes, but through its echoing slam, you hear the faint creak of the porch steps as Adrien approaches the house.</p><p>You and Gabriel sit in awkward silence for a moment. All the previous times you had chided him and tried to get him to go easier on Adrien lingered between you, but saying any of that out loud didn’t feel appropriate this time around. </p><p>Gabriel seems lost in thought, and at the moment, it didn't seem like it mattered if you were there or not. You pop the trunk and let yourself out of the car, hoping that whatever he was getting worked up about would pass if you gave him some time to himself.</p><p>The inside was more reminiscent of what you had seen online. A grand fireplace sits off to the right of the living area, complete with a stack of wood. The kitchen was very open with lots of windows lining the walls, and an island, made of dark wood, sitting in the middle. The back door had seen better days, but the path down to the shore seemed well-maintained.</p><p>While it wasn't quite beach weather, you like the idea of taking a walk along the shore regardless. You'd have to drag Gabriel down there lest he risks spending the entire trip in the house.</p><p>Adrien pokes his head around the corner and smiles when he sees you coming up the stairs, “Do you need help with that?”</p><p>“I'll manage, but thank you.” You poke your head into the bathroom at the top of the stairs and flick the light on. It somehow felt smaller than the one in your apartment, but perhaps that was because the old lightbulbs were casting an orange glow onto everything.</p><p>The right door at the end of the hall stands open, and you can see Adrien's bag sitting open at the foot of the bed with some of his clothes scattered around. He had certainly wasted no time making himself at home.</p><p>Adrien notices you looking and smirks, “You can have the room across the hall from Father.”</p><p>Gabriel shoves open the front door with a huff and, for a tense moment, locks eyes with Adrien before asking him to get the rest of the bags from the car.</p><p>Adrien raises his eyebrows and flashes you a knowing look but doesn't protest as he bounds back down the stairs.</p><p>Not wanting to look like you were hovering, you head for the end of the hall and choose the room on the left.</p><p>The beams overhead are exposed, and there is a dark finish on all the furniture. The few paintings on the walls are of the coast or local animals. An electric fireplace sits off to the left beneath a mounted TV. While it wasn't quite your taste, it felt cozy enough.</p><p>You set your bag down onto the bench before bringing your bag of toiletries to the bathroom. From below, you hear the opening and closing of cabinets as Adrien stashes the snacks and food away, and the distinct crinkling of a bag indicates that he is helping himself, as well.</p><p>Gabriel glances at you as you pass by his room, “This is tacky.”</p><p>You invite yourself into his room and partially close the door behind you. His room was decorated in a similar fashion to yours except for the carpet.</p><p>“I like it, it's cozy,” You ease yourself onto the edge of his bed as he busies himself with hanging up his coat, “besides Gabriel, not everyone's taste revolves around black and white marble.”</p><p>Gabriel frowns slightly. He never did like it when you didn't agree with his aesthetic tastes.</p><p>A heavy silence sits between the two of you, and despite everything being hung up, Gabriel continues to stare, pensively, into the closet. You’re uncertain of whether you were supposed to stay or go, but Gabriel finally breaks the silence, “Thank you,” he pauses, “for agreeing to come, Nathalie. Lord knows that you need a break, too.”</p><p>Gabriel glances over his shoulder to you, but you simply give him a gentle smile and shrug. As much as you enjoyed your days off at home, you knew you would go stir crazy with an entire week off. That, and you didn't trust that Gabriel and Adrien could take care of themselves. Gabriel hadn't cooked since college, and even then, it was questionable. You'd also be surprised if Adrien could work a toaster by himself, “A vacation is a vacation.”</p><p>“Still,” He closes the door and turns back to you, “I hope you won't think less of me for earlier. I still don't feel entirely comfortable about being here. I haven't exactly been on a leisure trip since...”</p><p>Gabriel trails off and sits beside you, the bed creaking beneath his weight. You rest your hand on his shoulder, “It'll be good for you, both of you, to get out of the manor. There's a difference between honoring someone's memory and living in their shadow, Gabriel. I think a break is good for everyone. The firsts are always hard, but things will be easier next time.”</p><p>He tenses beneath you, and a crease forms in his brow at the thought of there being a next time. A sigh rises in your chest, but you knew better than to try to press the issue further. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck here, and even he couldn't sulk for the entire week.</p><p>You hear Adrien bound up the stairs, and he invites himself into the room with his phone in hand, “I read some more on that pamphlet, and, apparently, that town we passed through was a naval outpost. We should go do some sightseeing there.”</p><p>Gabriel falls back into his sullen mood, but he didn't say yes or no, so you answer for him, “Why not?” You stand, deciding to let Gabriel join you later at his own pace, “We need groceries anyway, so we can go tomorrow,” you herd Adrien back down the stairs to give Gabriel some space, “but for now, let's make a list. It's a long drive, and we wouldn't want to forget anything.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel's POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When morning comes, you find yourself feeling marginally better than you did the day before.  However, you aren't sure you'll ever get used to just having the sounds of the wind and house settling, but the sense of dread that previously threatened to consume you was no longer there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You wander downstairs a little after nine to find Adrien sitting at the island with a bowl of cereal. He leans back in his chair to see who’s approaching, then pauses his video call, “Good morning, Father.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You return the greeting, settling for a coffee and some toast, “Nathalie isn't up yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien shovels a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and shakes his head while chewing. Panic twinges at the edge of your consciousness. The practical answer might have been she was just worn out from the drive up here, but you fear the worst even though you wouldn’t complain about needing to cut the trip short.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment's hesitation, Adrien resumes his video call, “Sorry about that, Kagami, so what did she do in the magic dimension?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the other end, Kagami offers you a dry greeting before going on about what you assume to be a show. You don't follow a word of it, but you consider that a blessing in disguise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien heads back upstairs after finishing his cereal, leaving you to have your coffee in silence. Every now and then, the house creaks in the wind, or a branch taps against a kitchen window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie stumbles down the stairs, looking rather disoriented, and the brightness of the kitchen doesn't seem to help her in that regard. She comes to rest heavily against the island while her eyes adjust, “You're going to have to drive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You pull a stool away from the island, but she brushes off the gesture, peering up at you from behind her unbrushed hair and exhausted eyes, “Are you sure you should even be going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blows more air out of her nose than normal and straightens, “Gabriel, are you trying to tell me that you are going to go grocery shopping and entertain Adrien alone?” She rolls her eyes before pulling the fridge open to grab an apple, “or, don't tell me, you're just going to let him go wander around in a new place all by himself?” She skeptically arches an eyebrow as she eases herself onto the stool beside you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You wish she would have more faith in you because she is making it sound like you couldn't last the day without having heated words with Adrien. Just because you hadn't shopped in a while didn't mean that you were incapable of doing it. Out of everything that took skill, grocery shopping was not one of them, “I think I'll manage to keep Adrien under my thumb while getting groceries.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie takes a bite out of her apple, seeming less energetic now that she’s settled again. As much as you didn't want to leave her here by herself, there was no sense in her overexerting herself by coming along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You can handle this. The whole point of this trip is to spend some time with Adrien, and she can't watch over the two of you all the time. It’s better to get all of this out of the way sooner rather than later. You and Adrien will either spend the rest of the week avoiding each other like the plague or managing to salvage what little relationship you had left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if Nathalie’s reading your mind, she firmly states, “I'm going.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't be difficult.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm not being difficult. I'll be fine. Just give me a little while to wake up.” She takes another small bite out of her apple, but you still aren't convinced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien comes wandering back downstairs, fully dressed this time around, “When do you want to go?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie glances back and forth between you before glancing at the clock with a shrug.  Her laissez-faire attitude forces you to respond, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>We </span>
  </em>
  <span>can go right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nathalie isn't coming?" The disappointment in his voice isn't making the situation any easier. Nathalie glances at you out of the corner of her eye before turning her attention back to Adrien, "Why are you feeling sick?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll be fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure? You should take it easy. After all, you’re on vacation, too! I'm sure Father can handle the shopping, and if not, I can always call Kagami. She's really good at that stuff."</span>
</p>
<p><span>A sigh rises in your chest. It appeared that Adrien didn't have a vote of confidence in you either. The thought of him thinking that you would need to call a </span><em><span>child </span></em><span>that is</span> <span>halfway across the country because you didn't know which bread to buy was beyond ludicrous, "I think I can manage grocery shopping."</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien and Nathalie exchange knowing glances, but apparently, she had had enough of the silent conversation, "Fine, I'll stay here, and you two can do the shopping."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You drain the rest of your coffee before swiping the keys off the table, “If you need anything, call.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie waves you off. As much as she is being stubborn now, you knew she would be well over it by the time you and Adrien return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien is the first out of the door as he makes himself comfortable in the front seat. A feeling of unease starts to creep over you as you start the car. The harder you try to recall the last time you had spent any extended period of time alone with Adrien, the more you draw a blank. Was it the funeral? It couldn’t possibly have been that long ago, and yet, it’s the only thing that comes to mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You turn out of the driveway a little too fast, and Adrien quickly fumbles for his seatbelt. What a way to start the day. Irritation begins to prick at the edges of your consciousness as the cabin fades from sight. Had you really been so careless?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You glance at Adrien as he fiddles with the radio. When he is met with nothing but static, he sits back with a defeated sigh. A heavy silence fills the car, and you decide it’s your responsibility to break it, “Do you talk to Kagami a lot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is a measured pause from him, and initially, he just shrugs but decides that wasn’t enough of an answer and adds, “I guess, we are friends after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Given his tone, you decide not to press the issue. As much as you both were probably overdue for some sort of personal conversation, this clearly wasn’t the topic. You’d merely have to resolve yourself to another rather awkward silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien finally makes his way back to you as you finish paying for the groceries. After your painfully quiet drive and him not seeming too keen on shopping with you, you let him leave against your better judgment. Considering how long it had taken you, you felt like you had made the right choice, “I found the perfect gift for Nathalie. I think she’d appreciate it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie hadn’t responded to the few texts you had sent her, outside of informing you of what she wanted for lunch, you hadn’t considered that she might want something else. She was the one who made sure you didn’t forget anything, so why would she want something that wasn't on the list she had given you? “Do you really think so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien nods, grabbing some of the grocery bags before leading the way outside, “Of course, and she still gets a souvenir despite not being able to come with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You ignore the fact that you have to pass back through this town on the way home, but this was the most interest Adrien had shown in doing something with you, so you know that you should take advantage of it. Once the groceries are in the car, you let Adrien lead the way towards the center of town.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The square has an aging bronze statue, sitting amid a flower bed. If there’s a plaque for it, it isn’t anywhere visible. The paint on the low fence is peeling, leading you to believe that the plants were the only things that were well-maintained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien ducks into a shop near the center of the square, and from the looks of it, it’s some kind of general store. The two cashiers glance over from behind the counter where they were talking, and the younger one waves to Adrien as they welcome him back. When greeted by the sight of an assortment of rather plain sweaters and equally uninspired postcards, you find it hard to imagine what Adrien had found here that he was so eager to get Nathalie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie had always been hard to shop for in general since her tastes were so varied. The few times you had gone shopping together, she caught you off guard, every time, by getting something that you thought she’d hate, and every time it happened, you thought about how maybe that you didn’t know her as well as you thought you did. That being said, as long as you didn’t overthink things, you usually got the point across. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the back wall, Adrien produces a black mug with cat ears with ‘You’re Paw-Some’ written on the side in green lettering. It was so tacky that you thought Nathalie might actually like it. She had awful taste in mugs. It felt like for every eyesore mug you hid, there were three more to take its place. You were slowly running out of both cabinet space and hiding spots. Still, if it made Adrien happy, then you suppose you can humor him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You pause at a display for a book written by a local author while Adrien not-so-subtly loads up on candy. You can already hear him saying it’s for Nathalie despite the fact that you know full well that she prefers hard candy. The book doesn’t seem like anything remarkable, but considering Nathalie exclusively reads poorly written romances, you figure it’ll be right up her alley. However, what had really caught your attention in the first place was the patchwork moose sitting on top of the display. It’s on discount since it’s missing an eye, but you thought Nathalie will find that part of the charm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You pay for everything and let Adrien lead the way back towards the car, “Did you know that in the summer they hold a little festival dedicated to the founding of the lighthouse nearby? Even though it’s been decommissioned, it’s still what put this place on the map. We should totally come back for it. I’ve never been to a beach party.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You hum thoughtfully, knowing that couldn’t possibly be right since Emilie had lived for the summer and everything that came with it. While Adrien might have been too young to remember, you recall him coming home with a bad sunburn a few times after he refused to wear sunscreen, “Amelie had one of her anniversary parties on a beach.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t remember that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You feel, once again, some rather unpleasant memories being dragged to the surface as you start to recount the event. You had spent the first half of the trip jetlagged and the other half hungover because you had gone out for ‘guys’ night’ at Amelie’s insistence. You vowed never again, and thankfully that was the last time she tried to show off. You also distinctly recall Felix stealing your car keys and having to spend nearly half a day combing the beach for them. Ugh, you would never understand why Adrien adores his cousin the way he does, “You were young when it happened. Amelie was showing off for some reason or another, so we spent a week down at the coast. You and Felix certainly had a blast raising hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien hums thoughtfully while clicking his seatbelt into place, “That does sound like us. What did we do though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, where to start…”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathalie's POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had started to rain by the time you wander downstairs again, wondering when the boys would be back. While you had assumed shopping was going to take them a while, you were more worried about how they were getting along. Even at dinner last night, they had been a little standoffish with one another. You can hardly imagine how they were faring in the car and wandering around town. </p>
<p>You sigh to yourself as you tear open a granola bar, and make yourself comfortable in an armchair that faces the door. You knew it was silly to worry so much about keeping the peace between them, but that’s the whole reason you had come up here. Adrien didn’t know how to approach Gabriel, and Gabriel had never been the easiest to get along with. You didn’t expect that last part to change just because Adrien tells him as much. At this point, you didn’t think he was capable of changing that even if he tried. It was part of his personality. You also knew it was silly to be so worried about them spending time alone. They need it, and yet, you can only imagine the worst scenarios. </p>
<p>You don’t understand it yourself because it wasn’t as if you thought Gabriel was a bad parent. Though he was a little overbearing, you understood where he was coming from, and more often than not, he could be reasoned with when talked with logically. However, he also refused to budge on the strangest of things. Would they ever manage to get past his defenses? You hate the idea of Adrien having to spend the rest of his days being unsure or unable to approach Gabriel with his problems.</p>
<p>The headlights from the car cast a shadow on the wall as they return. The car had barely turned off before Adrien is already bounding up the porch steps. He pauses at the door just long enough to wipe his shoes on the mat before running over to your chair to present you with a light blue bag filled with tissue paper, “We got you something. I bet you can’t guess what I picked out.”</p>
<p>Adrien beams at you while Gabriel makes a slower entrance with some of the groceries, “You two didn’t need to bring me back anything.”</p>
<p>“Nonsense, we felt bad that you were stuck at home, and you need something to remember the trip by, after all.” You doubt you’ll forget this, with or without the souvenir, but you really can’t complain.</p>
<p>Gabriel lingers behind Adrien while you fish out some of the tissue paper until you find a black mug with a green inside. ‘You’re Paw-some’ is written on the side in matching green ink while the handle curves inward, at the bottom, to resemble a cat’s tail. You pretend to be exasperated, but it’s hard to hide your smile. Adrien always managed to find you the best mugs, and as a bonus, you could already feel Gabriel’s silent defeat as you put his coffee in it. Hmm, would you share this one? “Well, clearly this isn’t from your father.”</p>
<p>Adrien pouts, slightly defeated that you had found him out, and heads back outside to help with the rest of the groceries, “You don’t know that!”</p>
<p>You carefully set the mug on the coffee table with a smile as you pull the rest of the tissue paper out of the bag. There’s a book sitting towards the bottom of the bag, along with some candy, and while you know the candy is Adrien’s doing, you conclude that the book is from Gabriel. From the cover alone, you assume it's going to be about the somewhat dry history of the lighthouse, but the summary on the back proves you wrong. For once, he had actually gotten you something you would read, which begged the question of whether all those other occasions were out of spite or cluelessness. </p>
<p>Adrien busies himself with putting the groceries away while Gabriel presents you with lunch and a medium-sized patchwork moose that was missing an eye. It’s so cute.</p>
<p>“Are you feeling any better? Should we call a doctor?” He brushes aside some of your hair and rests his hand on your forehead. Considering his hands were still a little cold from being outside, you don’t think it’s possible to get an accurate reading even if you did have a fever. </p>
<p>You sigh and brush his hand away, “I don’t need a doctor, Gabriel. I’m fine. I feel much better, actually. You know traveling always wears me out; it was probably just that.” You turn your attention from him to the moose and adjust the ribbon around its neck. How was it that Gabriel always managed to find things like this? For someone who would periodically insist they hated shopping, here he was.</p>
<p>“If you say so.” He gently takes the moose from you, setting it on the coffee table, “Can you at least humor me by eating something? Adrien and I will put everything away.”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir.” Gabriel frowns but leaves you to your sandwich. Upon entering the kitchen, he’s promptly met with Adrien asking which fruits and vegetables belong in the fridge. Although, it seems like Gabriel doesn’t know the answers either as he wants to put the potatoes in there. You shake your head to yourself and settle back in the chair. <em>Baby steps.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathalie's POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After having spent the better part of the morning convincing Gabriel you were well enough to take a walk, it had turned into a family affair. Despite inviting himself along, Adrien is miles ahead of both of you, obviously excited to be going to a beach even if it wasn’t warm enough to swim. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You and Gabriel follow after him at a slower pace. The walk had been his idea, but he didn’t really seem to be entirely there with you. It also isn’t hard to figure out where his mind is wandering off to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When you are finally out of the shadow of the cliff, you find yourself on a rather gloomy looking beach. The sand is rather rocky, so tracking it into the house is the least of your worries as you look back at Gabriel’s forlorn expression. Farther up the coast at the mouth of the bay, you could make out the shape of the lighthouse. Adrien had mentioned it yesterday when he was recapping the trip into town, and it was also on the cover of the book that Gabriel had gotten you. If it had been closer, you might have been tempted to take a trek out to it, but next to you is a stone pier that had obviously seen better days. Adrien didn’t seem interested in it, so you didn’t bother telling him not to go onto it. Although, that didn’t stop him from trying to play in the surf, and you let out a sigh to yourself as you have to tell the fifteen-year-old to get out of the water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien moves marginally away from the water and flashes you an impish smile. You roll your eyes and leave him to whatever he’s doing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Penny for your thoughts?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel glances up from the stone that he’s digging up with his foot, a hum escaping his lips as your eyes meet. It takes him a moment to process your question before he half-heartedly says it was nothing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you say so.” You tuck some of your hair behind your ear before slowly making your way closer to the water. A few moments later, Gabriel relents and answers your question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was just thinking about how Emilie would have hated it here. She hated the cold.” You recall that fact yourself. During the winter, she was always wearing more layers than the rest of you, and at the first whiff of cooler weather, she had already broken out all her winter clothes while complaining about how summer was over. You personally didn’t mind the cold. You weren’t fond of the heat or a lot of summer activities either, “The hot springs were the only reason she agreed to go to Tibet in the first place…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He trails off with a wistful smile. You also remembered her insisting that the two of you were going to spend some ‘quality girl time’ together on that vacation. You hated the idea with a passion but considering it was a free trip, you felt like you weren’t in a position to say no. Ultimately, it hadn’t been as bad as you had anticipated. Though you wished that so much of it hadn’t revolved around your love life especially since it was such a mess, and she was better at picking up on things than anyone would give her credit for, at least you had something rather fond to remember her by. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You rub his back as you watch Adrien prance into the surf again. The lower half of his pants are soaked, but he doesn’t seem to care. You were almost certain he’d regret it on the walk back, “She didn’t step foot outside the resort that whole trip.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel shakes his head with a quiet laugh, “No, she didn’t.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien straightens and turns to you with a huge smile on his face. In one of his hands, he’s holding a damp stick while the other holds a rather long worm, “Look, I found a worm!” A sigh rises in your chest as you shake your head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not coming back with us. You’ll have to settle for a pet rock.” Adrien remains perched by the surf as he pulls out his phone to take pictures. Some things never change, you suppose.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathalie's POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A gust of wind sends another sheet of rain pelting against the window. A tree branch hits one of the kitchen windows, and the sound echoes through the living room. Gabriel and Adrien were setting up another game of checkers, but neither seemed very invested in the game. Adrien had initially suggested watching a movie, but none of you could reach an agreement on what to watch. Not that you were surprised. You and Gabriel never agreed on things like that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Movie aside, this felt like a more natural progression of things. When you live alone, it’s easy to forget how nice it can be just existing around other people, and it’s nice being around both of them outside of work. For once, you aren’t babysitting Adrien or busy as Gabriel’s assistant. As you thought about it, you can’t recall the last time you had been this relaxed. Reading your book slips your mind since you’ve been so content merely sitting there listening to the rain. That, and you were on fire duty since Gabriel had proven himself inadequate for the job. You weren’t surprised, but at the very least, you had gotten a good laugh out of watching him try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien stares blankly at the checkerboard after Gabriel takes out half his pieces in a single move. When he had finished processing, he pouts and comments, “Nathalie at least lets me win sometimes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You hide your smile behind your book, feeling Gabriel glance over at you. “You do this with every game. I would think you'd have learned better by now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien sighs, halfheartedly moving another piece. Much like with Gabriel, it was easy to tell when he’s lost in thought, but with him, it’s harder to pin down where his mind is wandering to. He worries about the strangest things, but you chalk it up to how sheltered he had been, “You know Nathalie, I'm glad you decided to come with us, it wouldn't have been as much fun without you. Besides, you're pretty much part of the family anyway, it wouldn't be much of a family getaway without.” He pauses a moment then adds with a playful smirk, “even if you aren't tagging in so I can win something this afternoon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You almost forgot this was initially supposed to be a father-son trip. Gabriel had intended it to be that, but Adrien was the one who brought up the idea of you coming along. Since you had done all the packing for both of them, Adrien had said that it felt weird for you to not be invited. You knew you always tried to be there but him, but in times like these, it always hit you how much of an impact you made on him. It was a little scary even.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel was visibly put off by the remark. With so many moving parts to Adrien’s statement, it’s hard to pin down the one thing that rubbed him the wrong way,  “Almost doesn’t mean she is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even by his standards, the remark seemed to not sit with him the right way. For all him telling you he valued you and needed you, it always hurt when he would say the opposite. It always felt like he was just saying what he really felt. And that sinking feeling that enveloped you was only intensified in knowing Adrien was watching your reaction. “Just because you think that doesn’t mean I do. Nathalie’s done more for me since mom died than you have.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien glares at Gabriel from across the table. You hate that you had been the source that sparked this discussion, but needed to happen. You wouldn’t deny that, but you didn’t want it to have been on your behalf either. In sticking around, it had never been your intention to try and force things, but the more time went by, the more it felt like that was inevitable. Not when Gabriel was still so torn up about everything that had happened, while Adrien is more than content to try to make the most of things moving forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel stands, jostling the board as he did so, and quietly excuses himself. He was barely out of sight before he turned his attention towards you and added, “You shouldn’t just let him treat you like that. It’s not fair.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I appreciate it, Adrien, but you don’t need to worry about me.” Adrien doesn’t seem convinced. You can’t blame him, but you don’t want him fretting over you too. You try to seem reassuring but you aren’t sure if he’ll take it with a grain of salt given your track record, “I can handle myself if I need to. You should do the same. I know it’s been hard for you, but he needs to hear that. It’s one thing to know you're doing something, but it’s another to actually hear how you're impacting people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever.” Adrien shoves the tokens back into the box and stands, “I think I would like to be alone for a little while.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel's POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the storm letting up, inside things felt as chaotic as ever. As cowardly as it sounds, you had spent the better part of last night avoiding Adrien and hadn’t spoken to him all morning. Though the two of you have never really been close, to begin with, you have felt the gap widening between you for some time. You just had never felt any urgency to do anything about it. Even now, you find yourself at a loss for what to do. The last thing you want is for him to resent you, but you feel like you’ve already reached the point of no return. If not, you were rapidly approaching it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You pause at the bottom of the stairs when hearing voices coming from the kitchen. A faint inclination of eavesdropping being rude lingers in the back of your mind, but ultimately you decide to ignore it and listen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Father, last night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, actually, I haven’t spoken to him either…no, those are too thick. Here, why don’t you do these instead? It doesn’t matter how big they are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is some shuffling around in the kitchen as they switch tasks. You linger in the stairwell, feeling like you were intruding on something, and that causes a surge of annoyance to spike within you. Intruding on what? Nathalie spending time with </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> son? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you didn’t even text him goodnight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There the sound of metal scraping against metal, and when Nathalie speaks again, she sounds more exasperated than anything, “Adrien, we don’t do that. If</span>
  <em>
    <span> you</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to text him that, by all means, feel free.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He doesn’t respond to them anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie sighs, “He can’t avoid you forever. Adrien, he’s driving home. If he’s going to brood the rest of the week, then we’ll just have to raise hell without him,” She pauses, and the knife hits the cutting board in rapid succession, “and for the record, he doesn’t respond to mine either. I’m convinced that man doesn’t know how to text.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What else can’t he do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adrien, are you trying to dig up dirt on your father? Have you no shame?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, that’s-” he laughs nervously, “is it that obvious?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh rises in your chest at his words. You had grossly underestimated just how close the pair of them were. Even before all of this, you didn’t think you had ever done something like this with Adrien. In the blink of an eye, it hits you again just how much you had missed out on with Adrien. It causes a pang in your heart but regretting the past wouldn’t lead to anything, but it was hard not to dwell. Not when there wasn’t a clear path forward with mending your relationship with him or Nathalie, for that matter. You really didn’t know what you’d do without her. She deserved better than what you had done for her. They both deserved better from you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You could feel a shift in the atmosphere as you swallow your pride and finish descending the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you didn't hear this from me, but he used to be really bad at math, just like you. In fact, I thought  it was funny he wanted to be a fashion designer because he used to pay me to do all of his math homework.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was half a year before I realized I needed it for college.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie glances up from what she was cutting and flashes you an impish smirk, “And then you paid me to tutor you instead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was money well spent.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien studies you for a long moment, trying to gauge how he was going to approach you, and you feel like you need to do the same, “So, can you pay Nathalie to do my math homework?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You feel your brow furrow. Despite knowing he was joking, your first response is no, but you bite your tongue, “You’ll have to find someone your own age.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie adds, “If your father adds something else to my salary, it’ll be cheaper for him to just give me his credit card.” She flashes you another smirk then turns her attention to Adrien, her focus on his chopping, “See, you’re already getting better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You linger at the edge of the island, not quite inclined to help but also not inclined to leave. Despite knowing the answer already, you venture into their moment, “What are you two up to?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is a momentary pause, and the two exchanged knowing glances. The feeling that you were out of place there intensifies in their silence. At least if you left now, they could probably salvage the rest of the morning. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What am I even saying? I have a right to be here as well.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nathalie is teaching me how to make soup. She says she doesn’t remember how, but I think she’s lying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie rolls her eyes and brushes back some of her hair, “Since you seem so confident over there, Adrien, if this doesn’t turn out right, I’m blaming you.” She pauses and shifts her gaze back to you, “You’re more than welcome to help us. I’m sure even you can manage to melt some butter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nathalie offers you a rather soft-looking stick of butter. You watch as Adrien glances between the two of you but doesn’t comment on the matter. You can see the hope in his eyes begging for you to join in, but it feels wrong to do so, “I think I’ll leave the fun to you two. I’m going to take a walk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Suit yourself.” Nathalie sets the butter down again, and you can feel her disappointment. You grab your coat off the rack and slip outside. Despite the light rain that is still falling, you feel like the fresh air will do you some good. At the very least, you could rationalize that you hadn't been spying on them as opposed to if you had just gone back upstairs</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathalie's POV</p>
<p>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not up there.” You glance up from the bread you’re toasting at the sudden intrusion. Your eyebrows knit in confusion as you look at Adrien since you hadn’t realized that Gabriel actually slipped out of the house. While you didn’t know what had happened between them after you went to bed last night, Adrien at least seemed to be a bit happier this morning. For now, the dark cloud that had been hanging over the house had disappeared, and you can breathe easily for a little while. Truthfully, you won’t be surprised if they keep on fighting until you leave. There is still time for something else to happen, but even by your standards, that sentiment feels a little too fatalistic. They had at least made some progress this week.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s probably on the beach again.” You turn the stove off and place the last sandwich with the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before you could ask Adrien to go look for him, he quickly states, “You should go get him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You narrow your eyes at him, fully aware of what he’s trying to do. At times, you swear he’s more invested in your relationship than his own. Still, it’ll be easier to do it yourself rather than standing there arguing with him while the food gets cold, “Adrien, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to get rid of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You pull your coat off the rack and head towards the back door with a knowing smirk. Adrien shrugs innocently, insisting that wasn’t the case, but you can see the mischievous glint in his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air is damp from all the rain, and it carries a bite with it as the wind blows off the ocean. Normally, you don’t mind the cold, but today it feels particularly punishing. You don’t know how Gabriel can stand it as you pull your coat tighter around you. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another gust of wind meets you as you step onto the beach. Another shiver wracks your body. In the distance, you spot Gabriel standing alone on the rickety pier, waves crashing onto the shore and up over the sides. You cautiously approach him, thanks to the shifting tides. Water soaking into your shoes and pants, but the closer you get to him, the less it seemed to matter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel’s unbuttoned coat flutters around him as he stares out across the inky water. It isn’t hard to guess what he’s so lost in thought about, but you feel strange breaking the vigil he’s holding with the ocean. However, that doesn’t stop you from doing it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He startles at your touch, and for a moment, he stares at your hand as if it’s some foreign object, not quite understanding where it had come from. You keep your voice soft as you address him, “Lunch is done.” He nods absentmindedly and draws his coat around himself, not showing any signs of moving, “What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is a long silence between you before being broken by a tired sigh from Gabriel. His eyes seem a little clouded over like he’s still swept away in his thoughts as opposed to standing on the pier with you, “It’s a lot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With you, when isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel closes his eyes for a moment, and you watch him take a breath before opening them again, “I’ve been thinking about a lot of things. While all of this may have come to a point very recently, they have been lingering in the back of my mind for quite some time. Firstly, I would like to apologize for what I said the other night, it was entirely uncalled for, and I hope you can forgive me. I hope you don't think I have taken everything you've done for me- </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span> for granted. It seems silly saying it out loud, but I suppose I was jealous of you and Adrien. My son and I are practical strangers, and yet, you’ve been here for a fraction of our lives and have managed to do all the things I haven’t done. At the moment, it felt like he was picking you over me, and I wasn’t happy about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want things to be different going forward. I want to be there for both of you since it’s abundantly clear that I haven’t been in quite some time. I hope that you will continue to stand by me during this period while I try to navigate these uncharted waters. For better, and sometimes worse, you always seem to know how to push me in the right direction.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You rest your cheek on his damp shoulder and shake your head to yourself with a hidden smile. It was about damn time he finally figured all of this out for himself, but you can’t fault him for taking this long. For him, saying all of this out loud must take a tremendous amount of effort. The reassurance that you weren’t doing all of this in vain was needed here and there, but he’d never been this straightforward about it before. You never understood just how much you had wanted to hear those words from him until now. All that time you had spent worrying feels insignificant now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel bundles you into his coat, and the warmth of his body and the smell of his cologne envelope you. It’s calming. For some time, you had longed for him to embrace you like this, but you never thought it would feel so safe pressed against him. He smooths your hair, and after a moment’s hesitation, you feel a gentle kiss on the top of your head. Water continues to lap at the edges of the pier, but the sound of the ocean seems muted compared to the steady beating of his heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You almost didn’t notice the first drop of rain that falls, but it’s quickly followed by another large droplet and another. Gabriel swears softly as he releases you, and you shiver again as the biting cold and rain seeps in, “We should get back inside. I wouldn’t want you getting sick again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You roll your eyes but take his hand when he offers it, “Do you really think me that fragile?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gabriel pointedly pauses before answering, trying to get a rise out of you, “Probably not, but one can never be too careful.” He intertwines your fingers with a gentle smile. Any sort of retort you could have come up with vacates your mind, and for the time, you decide to let him do as he pleases. There would be plenty of other opportunities to insist that he leave you be.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's been a heck of a few months, but the payoff  has certainly been worth it! I hope everyone who made it this far enjoyed the story. ^^ and if your looking for more gabenath content you should definitely check out the other wonderful entries in this collection, as the other participanta have worked just as hard as I have! </p><p>I'd like to give special thanks to @scribblesfromtheria on tumblr for creating the art that inspired this piece and kissmyapplejuice for beta reading this fic. </p><p>I highly suggest going to this post: and checking out the master post for this piece<br/> https://scribblesfrometheria.tumblr.com/post/636412745413263360/changing-hearts-and-changing-tides</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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